Building wall and method of construction



April 2, 1963 w. w. LAND BUILDING WALL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Filed June 20, 1960 INVENTOR. WAR/Q5 N W L/l/VD ATTORNEY trite tates atnt Patented Apr. 2, 195233 This invention relates to building walls and more particularly to walls of the type in which panels are secured to verticularly disposed horizontally spaced support elements, such support elements being adjustable lengthwise to accommodate a range of variations in ceiling height and being inherently adaptable for use with suspension type floating ceilings as well as rigidly mounted ceilings. The invention also relates to a method of constructing such a building wall.

In one type of building wall commonly used commercially to form partition walls in large permanent type ofiice buildings, it is the practice to use building blocks of fire resistant material and to secure such blocks in position with mortar. While such structures afford a satisfactory partition, they are expensive to construct and furthermore it is usually not possible to install such partitions during working hours while the building is in use due to unavoidable noise, dust and confusion.

An alternative arrangement to that described above requires the use of heavy prefabricated panels which normally comprise a pair of parallel spaced apart metallic sheets between which a suitable insulating or sound resistant material is interposed. Such structures are both expensive and difiicult to install primarily because they are not well adapted for application to a range of ceiling heights.

If the building ceiling is suspended from supporting members by a plurality of tension elements it is not feasible to construct a wall using vertically disposed extensible support elements because such elements would tend to elevate the ceiling when extended sufficiently to form a firm high friction contact therewith.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a building wall which is readily adaptable to a relatively wide range of ceiling height variation.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved building wall which can be installed with a minimum of noise, dirt and confusion.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a building wall which is especially adapted for the use of conventional component parts and which therefore requires a minimum of fabrication time and expense.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a building wall structure which affords maximum adaptability to a wide variety of construction conditions and which utilizes a minimum of specially constructed component parts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved building wall in which vertical adjustable support elements may be under compression when used with a rigidly constructed ceiling and which may be under tension when used with a suspension type or floating ceiling.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of constructing building walls without requiring the services of skilled mechanics or masons.

The invention in one form comprises a channel secured to the building ceiling and another channel secured to the building floor, the flanges of the channels extending toward each other in general coincidental relation, 21 plurality of longitudinally extensible support elements arranged in horizontally spaced vertical relation with the ends thereof disposed between the flanges of the two channels, panel means secured to the channels and to the support elements, and means such as contact glue for securing the panels to the channels and support elements.

According to a feature of the invention, a shoe is provided for one or both ends of each support element, the shoe being adapted to aid in securing the associated support element against sliding movement along its associated channel and also to prevent relative rotation between the shoe, channel, and an extensible part of the associated support element thereby to facilitate adjustment of the length of the support element to accommodate small or substantial variations in ceiling height. According to a feature of the invention the shoes and their associated channels may be arranged so that the support elements may pull downwardly or push upwardly on the ceiling as desired.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which MG. 1 is a side View of a wall constructed according to the invention with certain portions of the panel structure broken away to reveal a part of the ceiling and floor channels and to show a pair of vertical support elements; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the panel depicted in FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2; FIG. 3 is a side view talzen from the vantage point from which FIG. 1 is taken and showing in greater detail the construction of one vertical support element and depicting its relationship to the ceiling and door channels; PEG. 4A is a fragmentary view somewhat enlarged, of a portion of the upper end of HG. 2 and depicting the details of construction of the shoe element; FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a shoe element; FlG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a view of one facet of the invention showing a vertical support element mounted to the floor only and not connected with the ceiling. FIG. 7 is a view from the same vantage point as that from which FIGS. 1 and 3 are taken and showing a modified arrangement for securing the shoes to their associated channel for adapting the wall for use with a suspension type ceiling, i.e. wherein the wall support elements are in tension, FIG. 8 is a view taken on line 88 indicated in FIG. 7, FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 of a modified arrangement for use with suspension type ceilings, and in which FIG. 10 is a plan view of FIG. 9 showing the support element extension in cross-section.

In the drawings the numerals l and 2 designate the ceiling and floor channels respectively. It will be understood that these channels are secured to the ceiling and floor by any suitable means such for example as by bolts, screws, compression elements, or any known means adapted to the particular door or ceiling. The manner in which the channels l and 2 are mounted is a matter of choice.

interposed between the channels 1 and 2 is a plurality of vertical support elements generally designated in the drawings by the numeral 3. Each support element 3 constitutes an elongated hollow tubular element 4 preferably formed of metal and into the ends of which axially apertured plugs 5 and o are respectively inserted preferably by means of a pressed fit. Preferably elongated element 4% is square in cross-section although obviously it could be rectangular or some other shape if desired.

For the purpose of rendering the support elements 3 extensible so that they may be adjusted to accommodate variations in ceiling height, an extension 7 is threaded into the aperture of plug 5 and in like fashion an extension 8 is threadedly mounted in plug 6. According to one facet of the invention the threads by which extensions 7 and S are mounted within the plugs 5 and 6 are: of opposite directions so that rotation in one direction of tubular element 4 relative to extensions 7 and 8 elongates the support element while rotation of the tubular element 4 in the other direction relative'to extensions 7 and 8 shortens the support element.

For the purpose of securing the extensions 7 and 8 against rotation relative to their associated channels 1 and 2 and also for the purpose of preventing sliding movement of the extensions 7 and 8 along their channels 1 and 2, shoes 9 are provided. The construction of each shoe 9 is best shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Each shoe 9 comprises a locking part 10 with a central opening which is threaded and which therefore threadedly engages the threads of the associated extension 7 or 8. Shoes 9 are also provided with a thrust bearing part 11 in which an annular embossment 12 is formed. Thrust bearing part 11 and locking part 10 are interconnected by parallel panels 13 and 14 as best shown in the perspective view designated FIG. 4B.

Ordinarily each shoe '9 is screwed onto the associated ex tension such as 7 or 8 until the thrust bearing part 11 is jammed against the end of the associated extension 7 or 8. Thus the frictional relation between the end of extension 7 or 8 and the thrust bearing part secures the shoe against rotation relative to the extension 7 or 8. Furthermore the embossed annular element 12 prevents the end of the extension such as 7 from moving in a transverse direction along the surface of the thrust bearing part 11 and serves to center the extension such as 7 with respect to the thrust bearing part'11. In addition the annular embossment 12 renders the thrust bearing part 11 effective to conform to the particular configuration or disposition of the associated channel such as 1 and thereby aids in preventing sliding movement of shoe 9' along the associated channel 1 or channel 2.

While the parallel sides 13 and 14 of shoe 9 are shown in FIG. 4A in parallel relation to the flanges 1A and 1B of channel 1, it will be understood that these sides 14 and 13 could be disposed in perpendicular relation to the flanges 1A and 1B if desired. If so arranged the length of the shoe W would simply be chosen so as closely to approximate the distance between the inner surface of flange 1A and the inner surface of flange 1B. Stated otherwise it ordinarily is desirable for the dimension W and W indicated in FIG. 4B to be equal to each other.

As will be understood from the above description a plurality of support elements 3 assembled as described are mounted along the channels 1 and 2 in generally parallel horizontally spaced vertical relation as best shown in FIG. 1. Assuming the ceiling is rigidly mounted, the elongated element 4 is rotated in such a direction as to cause the extensions 7 and 8 to tend to screw out of the element 4 and thus .to put the support element under compression. When so mounted the structure is ready to receive the wall panels. Such panels are adapted for mounting on one or both sides of the structure comprising support elements 3 and channels 1 and 2 as best shown in FIG. 2. It will be understood that the outer surface of flange 1A is in general alignment with the outer surface of flange 2A and also with the surface 4A of each elongated tubular element 4. Thus with the parts arranged as described, wall panel structures 15 are secured to the aligned surfaces 1A, 2A and 4A. Preferably the panels are secured to these aligned surfaces by a suitable commercially available contact glue and the panels may comprise ordinary wall board, plywood, metal or any other desired material, I have found for most applications of the invention ordinary commercially available wall board is preferable. If such wall board is used and if its width approximates 4 feet, for example, it is desirable to space the support elements 3 along the channels 1 and 2 at intervals of 2 feet and in so doing to provide a glue surface for adjoining the edges of adjacent panels to one of the tubular elements 4. As is best shown in the cross-sectional view designated FIG. the glue area 16 applied to each wall panel is larger than that applied to the surface 4A of the hollow tubular element 4. Since the mechanical strength of the tubular element 4 and of channels 1 and 2 is ordiand to place the support elements in tension.

narily greater than that of the wall board, the larger area applied to the wall board tends to equalize the strength of the bond afforded by the glue between the paneling and the support elements.

For installations in which the ceiling is of the suspended type, i.e. where the ceiling is hung from above on a number of tension elements, it is obviously not feasible to place the support elements under compression because to do so would simply tend to elevate the ceiling and render it unstable. If however the shoes 9 are secured to their associated channels the tubular elements 4 may be rotated in such a direction as to retract the extensions 7 and 8 In this fashion the suspension ceiling is rendered more stable since it is in effect tied to the floor rather than being pulled down only by its own weight.

In order to adapt the structure for use with suspension ceilings the arrangement of FIGS. 7 and 8 may be employed. In this embodiment the sides 13 and 14 of shoes 9 are placed in perpendicular relation to flanges 2A. Thereafter tongues 2B and 2C are struck out of flanges 2A and are bent inwardly over the thrust bearing part 11 of the shoe 9. When thus arranged rotation of elongated element 4 and of plugs 5 and 6 draws the edges of thrust bearing part 11 upwardly against the stops 2B and 2C and thus places the support element 3 under tension, it being understood that identical or similar structure to that depicted in FIGS. 7 and 8 would be used at the upper ends of support elements 3 to form connections with ceiling channel 1.

The alternative structure depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10 comprises a flat plate 9A with a threaded aperture therein for receiving extension 8. Plate 9A is retained between the channel flanges because the flanges are bent inwardly as indicated at 2D and 2E. Thus with extension 8 screwed tightly against the base of the channel the plate 9A firmly engages the turned in parts 2D and 2B of the channel and thus holds the extension against rotation relative to the channel and also renders the support 3 capable of Withstanding either compressional or tension stress. Of course a similar structure is applied to channel 1.

From the description thus far it is apparent that the invention is adaptable to variations in ceiling heights and that the adjustability of support elements 3 also renders them adaptable for use either with rigidly mounted or suspension ceilings.

If desired suitable baseboards such as are depicted variously by the numerals 18 and 19 and suitable molding such as shown at 20 and 21 may be employed to bridge any gap which may exist along the bottom edge of the paneling or along the top edge thereof so as to afford a finished appearance for the wall structure.

For certain applications of the invention in which the ceiling height is substantially greater than the length of the tubular element 4, the extensions 7 and 8 extend a relatively long distance between the upper and lower ends of tubular elements 4 and the associated channels 1 and 2. For the purpose of affording support for the panelling, a spacer block such as is designated in the drawings by the numeral 22 may be employed. Spacer block 22 comprises a plug 23 similar to plugs 5 and 6 and a short external structure 24 which is similar to the tubular element 4. Obviously the surface 24A is aligned with the surfaces 1A, 2A and 4A and serves as a glue surface to which the panelling 15 is secured.

For constructing a panel according to the invention in areas where it is not possible or desirable to use a channel such as 1 on the ceiling structure, it may be desirable to secure the wall to the floor only. In such event the arrangement depicted in FIG. 6 may be used. As is shown in FIG. 6 a sleeve 25 is secured within the floor 26 and the extension such as 8 is secured within the sleeve 25 in known manner. In such an arrangement the channels 1 and 2 are not used and the structure is otherwise identical to that depicted in FIG. 2. For most such installations it is desirable to use a spacer block such as 22 near the floor to afford support for the paneling in the absence of a floor channel.

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of the invention I do not wish to be limited thereto and intend in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of tr e United States is:

1. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a plurality of tubular support elements interposed between said first and second channel means in horizontally spaced generally parallel relation, the ends of said support elements being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, each support element comprising an elongated element into at least one end of which an extension element is mounted in axially adjustable threaded relation, an outer surface of each elongated element being in substantial alignment with the outer surface of one flange of said first channel means and with the outer surface of the corresponding flange of said second channel means, a spacer block threadedly mounted on at least one of said extension elements and normally disposed approximately midway between said one end of the associated elongated element and the associated channel means, said spacer block having an outer surface in substantial alignment with said outer aligned surfaces of the associated elongated element and flanges, wall panel means disposed adjacent the vertically aligned surface of said spacer block, flanges, and tubular supports in flat abutting face contacting relation and means for securing said wall panel means to the adjacent aligned surfaces of said flanges, spacer block, and tubular supports.

2. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a plurality of tubular support elements interposed between said first and second channel means in horizontally spaced generally parallel relation, the ends of said support elements being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, each support element being adjustable lengthwise and having an outer surface in substantial alignment between the outer surface of one flange of said first channel means and the corresponding surface of a flange of said second channel means, wall panel means disposed adjacent the vertically aligned surfaces of said flanges and of said tubular supports in flat abutting face contacting relation, said wall panel means being constructed of material of less physical strength and ruggedness than said channel means and said support elements, a coating of contact glue on said aligned surfaces of said flanges and of said support elements, and a corresponding coating on said panel means in general coincidence with the glue-coated aligned surfaces of said flanges and of said support elements, the area of glue coating on said panel means being substantially greater than that of said aligned surfaces so as to compensate at least in part for the lesser physical strength and ruggedness of said panel means.

3. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a tubular support element interposed between said first and second channel means, the ends of said support element being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, said support element comprising an elongated element into at least one end of which an extension element is mounted in axially adjustable threaded relation, and a shoe mounted on the end of said extension element remote from said elongated element, said shoe having a thrust bearing part in abutting relation to the end of said extension and a locking part spaced from said end of said extension and in threaded relation therewith whereby said shoe may be secured on said extension in frictional relation by threaded adjustment, and embossment means formed in said thrust bearing part of said shoe and disposed about the periphery of said extension for preventing substantial movement of said thrust hearing part of said shoe in a direction transverse to the axes of said extension.

4. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a plurality of tubular support elements interposed between said first and second channel means in horizontally spaced generally parallel relation, the ends of said support elements being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, each support element comprising an elongated element into at least one end of which an extension element is mounted in axially adjustable threaded relation, and a shoe mounted on the end of each extension element remote from the elongated element, at least one of said shoes having a thrust bearing part in abutting relation to the end of the associated extension and a locking part spaced from said end of said extension and in threaded relation therewith whereby said shoe may be secured on said extension in frictional relation by threaded adjustment of said shoe relative to said extension, each thrust bearing part being deformable so as to conform to the web of said channel means irrespective of variations in the orientation thereof.

5. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a tubular support element interposed between said first and second channel means, the ends of said support element being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, said support element comprising an elongated element into at least one end of which an extension element is mounted in axially adjustable threaded relation, and a shoe mounted on the end of said extension element remote from said elongated element, said shoe hav ing a thrust bearing part in abutting relation to the end of said extension and in threaded relation therewith whereby said shoe may be secured on said extension in frictional relation by threaded adjustment of said shoe relative to said extension, said shoe being configured to fit between the flanges of the associated channel means, and stop means formed in said channel means and engageable with said shoe for positively preventing substantial relative movement therebetween.

6. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, sec ond channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a tubular support element interposed between said first and second channel means, the ends of said support element being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, said support element comprising an elongated hollow tubular element of quadrilateral cross-sectional configuration into each end of which an axially apertured plug is secured by a pressed fit, the axial apertures of the two plugs being reversely threaded, an externally threaded extension arranged for mounting in threaded relation within the reversely threaded apertures so that rotation of said hollow element and plugs relative to said extensions causes simultaneous axial movement therebetween, said hollow tubular element being of such size and being normally positioned relative to said first and second channel means that one outer surface thereof is in substantially parallel aligned relation with the outer surface of one of the flanges of said first channel means and the corresponding surface of said second channel means, a substantially flat wall panel extending generally from the ceiling to the floor and having an edge in general coincidence with one of said hollow tubular elements, and means for securing said wall panel to said aligned surf-aces of said channels and of said tubular element.

7. A building wall comprising first channel means secured to the building ceiling and having downwardly depending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, second channel means secured to the building floor and having upwardly extending spaced apart substantially parallel flanges, said first channel means being disposed in cooperative relation to said second channel means, a tubular support element interposed between said first and second channel means, the ends of said support element being disposed between the flanges of said first and second channel means, said support element comprising an elongated element into at least one end of which an extension element is mounted in axially adjustable threaded relation, and a shoe mounted on the end of said extension element remote from said elongated element, said shoe having a thrust bearing part in abutting relation to the end of said extension and a locking part spaced from said end of said extension and in threaded relation therewith whereby said shoe rnay be secured on said extension in frictional relation by threaded adjustment of said shoe relative to said extension, said shoe being configured to fit between the flanges of the associated channel means,

8 and stop means struck out of at least oneflange of said channel means and disposed in abutting relation to said thrust bearing part of said shoe for holding said shoe in said channel means.

8. A method of constructing a building wall comprising securing channels to the building floor and ceiling respectively with the flanges thereof extending toward each other and with the channels in general coincidence, forming a hollow tubular element of square cross-sectional configuration of a length somewhat less than the distance between the floor and ceiling, inserting an axially apertured plug into each end of said hollow tubular element and securing said plugs in said hollow tubular element with a high friction pressed fit, threading the axial apertures with reverse threads, screwing into each reversely threaded aperture an externally threaded extension, mounting a shoe on the outer end of each extension, the shoe being secured against rotation relative to the extensions and being configured so as to fit between the flanges of said channels, mounting said hollow tubular elements and their associated plugs, extensions, and shoes in parallel vertical relation with the shoes disposed respectively between the flanges of said channels, rotating said hollow tubular element until said shoes securely engage said channels and one outer surface of said tubular element is in substantially parallel alignment with the outer surface of one flange of one of said channels and the corresponding surface of the other channel, and securing the top and bottom edges of a Wall panel to said outer surfaces of said flanges and the vertical edges thereof to two of said hollow tubular elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,729,439 Gor-dee Sept. 24, 1929 1,798,392 Adams et al. Mar. 31, 1931 2,078,491 Graham Apr. 27, 1937 2,267,477 Siebenlist Dec. 23, 1941 2,271,472 Balduf Jan. 27, 1942 2,676,680 Kindorf Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,150,575 France Aug. 12, 1957 70,624 France Dec. 29, 1958 224,223 Austnalia Apr. 17, 1958 741,891 Great Britain Dec. 14, 1955 

1. A BUILDING WALL COMPRISING FIRST CHANNEL MEANS SECURED TO THE BUILDING CEILING AND HAVING DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING SPACED APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLANGES, SECOND CHANNEL MEANS SECURED TO THE BUILDING FLOOR AND HAVING UPWARDLY EXTENDING SPACED APART SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FLANGES, SAID FIRST CHANNEL MEANS BEING DISPOSED IN COOPERATIVE RELATION TO SAID SECOND CHANNEL MEANS, A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR SUPPORT ELEMENTS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHANNEL MEANS IN HORIZONTALLY SPACED GENERALLY PARALLEL RELATION, THE ENDS OF SAID SUPPORT ELEMENTS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE FLANGES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHANNEL MEANS, EACH SUPPORT ELEMENT COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ELEMENT INTO AT LEAST ONE END OF WHICH AN EXTENSION ELEMENT IS MOUNTED IN AXIALLY ADJUSTABLE THREADED RELATION, AN OUTER SURFACE OF EACH ELONGATED ELEMENT BEING IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF ONE FLANGE OF SAID FIRST CHANNEL MEANS AND WITH THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE CORRESPONDING FLANGE OF SAID SECOND CHANNEL MEANS, A SPACER BLOCK THREADEDLY MOUNTED ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID EXTENSION ELEMENTS AND NORMALLY DISPOSED APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID ONE END OF THE ASSOCIATED ELONGATED ELEMENT AND THE ASSOCIATED CHANNEL MEANS, SAID SPACER BLOCK HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OUTER ALIGNED SURFACES OF THE ASSOCIATED ELONGATED ELEMENT AND FLANGES, WALL PANEL MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE VERTICALLY ALIGNED SURFACE OF SAID SPACER BLOCK, FLANGES, AND TUBULAR SUPPORTS IN FLAT ABUTTING FACE CONTACTING RELATION AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID WALL PANEL MEANS TO THE ADJACENT ALIGNED SURFACES OF SAID FLANGES, SPACER BLOCK, AND TUBULAR SUPPORTS. 